Form-fitting boot and method of making same



9 1929. e. L. VAN DnN-TER ET AL 1 726 782 FORM FITTING BOOT AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed Sept. 7, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ina/mom George L. V2.1 Dinfe fi'onrad FerreQTL'e G. L. VAN DHNTER ET AL 31,726,782

FORM FITTING BOOT AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed Sept. 7, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 3. 1929.

UNITED" STATES PATENT OFFICE.

enonen LI vAN DINTER AND CONRAD rnann'r'rm, or mIsnAwAxA, INDIANA, As-

SIGNORS TO MISHAWAKA RUBBER, AND

WOOLEN MANUrAc'I'IImNo comrANY, or

' MIsHAwAxA, D ANA, A conroRArIoN or INDIAN ,ronirmrrrme Door AND METHOD or MAKING SAmI I Application flled September 7, 928. -Serial No. 304,418.

0111' invention relates to footwear of thehigh top type-commonly known as boots, I and, has reference more particularly to the Q construction thereof with a permanently '5 closed u per having a portion along the instep an ankle and extending only partway up the front of the boot, which folds into a pocket form to fit the-boot snugly around the a kle and over the instep and may be opened up to enlarge the boot at this point to facilitate putting on and removing the boot.

High boots, and especially those of rubber, [are usually made large, and loose fitting at the ankleand instep to permit inserting and I 1 i'removing the foot, as it is quite diificult to make a boot of this character with a satis factory expansible ankle and instep portion 7 which will stand the required usage without I F'developing leaks. It is desirable however to 0. make the boot in a close fitting form, not only for the sake of improved appearance, but also I to hold the boot securely in place and avoid the discomfort of the foot working up and f down in the boot. 1 The principal objects of our invention are to provide an improved form fitting boot construction to utilize a pouch like folding pocket along the instep and ankle which af fords adequate enlargement for applying and removing the boot and folds intda neat compact close fitting form; to provide aneifective' and dependable waterproof construction at the folded pocket which will insure ample protection against leakage; to provide an im- 3'5 proved method of building the expansible pocket structure in the boot; and in general to simplify construction and improve the serviceability of the boot.

On the drawings v Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a boot embodying our improvements;

Fig. .2 is a perspective view showing the lining assembled on the last ready for the applying of the pocket structure, the upper part ofthe last and lining being omitted;

Fig. 3 is a similar view with the pocket, structure secured in place, portions being loosened up and broken away to. disclose details of the construction;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view through the pocket structure of the-boot, taken on the lineHOfFigl; W

Fig. 5 is a similar view on the line 5-5 ofFigl;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the back wall of the pocket or struction;

"Fig. 7 is a similar view of one of the front flaps of the pocket or pouch; and

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the reinforcing at pouch with parts broken away and turned up to disclose details of the con-' connect-ion with a boot of knee length, al- 7 though it is to be understood that it is intended for use with boots of other lengths.

Referring to the drawing, the reference numeral 1 indicates the boot as a whole, which is divided along the line 2 over the ankle and instep to form a pair of separable flaps 3 and 4 which are detachably connected in the closed form fitting position by buckles 5. of a well known form, or these flaps may be connected with any other suitable type of fastening devices. The flaps 3 and 4 are flared at their lower ends as indicated at 6 and 7 respectively, forming a Blucher type of opening, and the vamp of the boot is provided with an extension 8 running up to and secured to the front wall of the boot at the.

upper end of the opening 2, said extension being provided at each side with inturned flaps 9 and 10 rspectively, which are secured along their outer edges to the corresponding edges of the vamp extension 8. The inner edges of these flaps 9 and 10 are secured respectively to-the inneredges of the boot fla s 3 and 4. The vamp extension 8 and side aps 9 and 10 thus form, in efiect, an elongated pouch, which is slit down the front, and when the inner edges of the pouch or pocket flaps 9 and 10 are securedto the inner edges of the boot flaps 3 and 4, forms an expansible closing member which seals the opening afposition the pocket or'pouch 89-10 and boot flaps 3 and 4 fold together in a flat compact form which closely fits the ankle and instep, and they are-held in this closed compact form by the buckles 5 which connect the boot flaps 3 and 4 at suitably spaced points.

While this construction may be used for any type of boot, it is particularly desirable in'connection with rubber boots, as it affords an expansible ankle and instep portion which will stand up under conditions of use to which rubber boots are subjected, without developing leaks which would-impair the usefulness of the boot. 1

In making up a rubber boot with this ankle and instep construction, we lprefer to proceed in the following manner: pair of similar half sections of liningor quarters 11 and 12,.

which are secured together down the front by a tape 13-, are stretched around the last said lining structure, and comprises the vamp extension 8 and the two pocket flaps 9 and 10. The vamp extension 8 is preferably made up of two half sections 16 and 17 which are overlapped and secured together along a center line, the two part construction being employed so that the said vamp extension may be readily shaped to conform to the surface of the last over which it is to be located. Each half section 16 and 17 is of two ply construction, comprising a layer 18 of fabric and a layer 19 of rubber composition adhesively secured together, and the inner edges of the rubber layers 19 are preferably extended beyond the correspondin edges of the layers 18 as indicated at 20. This is articularly desirable onthe outside over apping section 17 as it insures a consolidation of the edge 20 thereof with the rubber layer 19 of the section 16 in the subsequent vulcanization.

The pocket flaps 9 and 10 are alike in construction except that one is right hand and the other left hand, and each comprises a layer 21 of fabric with a layer 22 of rubber composition adhesively secured to the under side, and with the inner edge of the rubber layer extended beyond the inner edge of the fabric 21. A strip 23 of rubber composition is laid over the fabric 21 as shown in Figs. 4 and 7, after which the extended edge of the rubber layer 22 is turned thereover as indicated at 24 to finish the inner edge of the pocket flap. The portion of the outer surface of the fabric layer 21 which is not covered by the rubber strip 23, is covered with a piece 25 of fabric which is adhesively secured to the fabric 21 and extends up to the rubber strip, and the outer edge of the fabric piece '25 is extended beyond the corresponding edge of the fabric layer 21 and when the flap 9 or 10 is laid over the vamp extension 8, this extended edge is folded around the edges of the flap and vamp extension and secured to the under side of the latter as shown at 26 in Fig. 4.

The lower ends of the pocket flaps 9 and 10 are curved as at 27 and 28 respectively to correspond to the curved edges 6 and 7 of the boot flaps 3 and 4 and are located over the lower end of the vamp extension 8 substantially as indicated by the dotted lines 27 and 28 in Fig. 6. To reinforce the lower end of the vamp extension 8 and the connection of the lower ends of the pocket flaps 9 and 10 therewith a reinforcing is provided as shown in Fig. 8, comprising a layer 29 of rubber composition and a smaller layer 30 of fabric adhesively secured to the under side, and this reinforcing 2930 is secured to the lower end of the vamp extension 8 as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, and has the lateral portion of fabric 30 and rubber composition 29 folded thereover along the lines 31, so as to come just inside the lateral edges of the vamp extension 8. When the pocket flaps 9 and 10 are laid over the vamp extension and secured thereto, the lower outer edges of the-flaps 9 and 10 overlap and are secured to the turned in portions of the reinforcing 29-30 and the latter provides a continuous piece of fabric and rubber which is merely folded at 31 along the juncture of the pocket flaps 9 and 10 with the vamp extension 8.

This structure is vulcanized in the subseuent process of curing the entire boot and t e stock is prepared in the usual manner so that the extreme lateral edge portions of the vamp extension and the corresponding lateral edges of the pocket flaps 9 and 10 in the folded edge 26 are consolidated into a unitary structure, affording a thoroughly closed joint between the outer edges of the flaps 9, 10 and the edges of the vamp extension 8, while the flaps 9 and 10 are otherwise loose from the vamp extension and foldable to and from the outer surface thereof.

The pocket flaps 9 and 10 are temporarily closed during the assembling operation and for this purpose a tape 32 is secured over the adjoining edges of the pocket flaps 9 and 10 and preferably a strip 33 ofrubber composition is laid over the tape 32. Moreover the tape 32 is preferably perforated down the center with a stitch wheel or the like so that it'will readily separate along the dividing line of the flaps 9 and 10 when the construction of the boot is completed. This pocket structure 8910 when preedge of the pocket at each side to partially cut through the lining along thelines 34, said lines terminating substantially at the lower ends of the side flaps 9 and 10 and also a short distance below the upper end of the pocket. Of course the partially severed lines 34 may be provided before the pocket is applied, but we have found it preferable to place the pocket in position and then run the cutter along the edges of the pocket, using the latter as a guide to determine the position of the partial cutting. v

-After the pocket is secured in place and the lining partially cut=-along the lines 34, a piece 35 of fabric is laid over each pocket flap and cemented along the inner edge to the respective flap 9 or 10, said connection being made to the rubber strip 23 just. beyond theedge of the fabric piece 25. The outer edge of each piece of fabric 35 extends beyond the outer edge of the pocket and beyond the cut lines 34, and-the outer edgesof these pieces 35 are cemented to the lining section 11 Or 12.

at the outer sides of the lines 34. The folded in portions at each side of the reinforcing 29-30 extend beyond the lower ends of the side fiaps'9 and 10, and after the pocket has been assembled-on the lining and the pieces 35 of fabric are applied, the projecting inturned portions of the reinforcing 29- -30 are laid back and secured over the lower corner of the respective flap 9 or 10 and the contiguous portions-of the structure as shown at 38 in Fig. 3, so as to reinforce the connection of the lower corners of the flaps 9 and 10 with the boot structure and leave these flaps free at their lower ends to swing outwardly in the finished boot.

, After this is completed the sole of the boot is built up in the usual manner and the facing 36 of rubber composition applied over the lining and pocket to complete the upper, said facing being preferably provided with a pointed portion 37 which fits up between the curved lower ends 6 and 7 of the side flaps 3 and 4, andthe facing on the pocket 8-9-10 is continuous across the line of separation 2 so that the side flaps 3 and 4 are joined together by the facing.

After the boot has been assembled in this manner, it is vulcanized and after vulcanizing, the facing 36 and the tapes 32 and 33 are slit along the line 2, up to tl1e\upper end of the pocket so that the side flaps 3 and 4 may be separated. The linings 11 and 12 are also slit along the lines 34 so that the sides of the pocket are loose at the inside of the boot and the front of the boot may now be expanded to afford free access and removal of the foot. The fasteners 5 may be attached in any convenient manner, preferably by means of tabs,

which are arranged in placebe'fore the boot is vulcanized; or any other desiredtype of fastener may be employed, the essential requirementbei'ng the construction of the expansible portion at the ankle and instep so that it is waterproof and possibility of leakage avoided.

While we have shown and described our invention in a referred form, we are aware that various 0 anges and modifications may be made without departing from the principles of-our invention, the scope of which is to be determined by the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a boot the combination of an upper having a lining and facing and provided with a pair of separable instepfiaps having their upper ends 'oined together at a distance from the top of the boot, and an expansible folded member between the linin and facing and closing the opening afforded by the separable rated portion of the lining secured on the back thereof.

2. In a boot the combination of an up er having a lining and facing and provided with a pair of separable instep flaps having their upper ends 'oined together at a distance from the top of t 0 boot, and an expansible folded member between the lining and facing and closing the opening afforded by the-separable flaps, said lining being slit along the lateral edges of the pocket to provide an intermediate partially separated section which is secured to the back of the folded member, and separate pieces of lining connecting the lining at the outer sides of the slits with the aforesaid instep flaps.

3. A boot with a pair of separable instep side of each flap, a main lining for the boot connected to the outer edges of said lining sections, and a partiall separated'section of the main lining exten ing under the lining sections of the flaps and secured to the back of the pocket member.

4. A boot with a pair of separable instep flaps having their upper ends joined together at a distance from the top of the boot, and an expansible pocket member underneath and closing the opening afforded by the separable flaps, said member having aback wall with an inturned portion at each side secured to the inner edge of the corresponding flap, said back wall of the pocket member being composed of separate side sections joined together in a shape to conform to the instep of the boot.

5. The method of making a boot with an expansible instep, which comprises securing a pocket member with separable front flaps at the instep between the lining and facing of the boot, and thereafter slitting the lining at each side of the pocket member.

'6. The method of making a boot with an expansible instep which comprises securinga' pocket member with separable front flaps at the instep between a partially separated section of the boot lining and the facing of the boot, and securing lined flaps of the facin to the inner edge of the front flaps of the poo et member.

7. The method of making a boot with an expansible instep which consists in securing a pocket member with front and back walls between the lining and facing of the boot, then slitting the lining at each slde of the pocket member and slitting the front wall of the ocket member between the lateral edges of t e pocket member.

8. The method of making a boot with an of the pocket member, then slitting the lining along the lateral edges of the pocket member and at the inner sides of the connections of the said separate lining sections with the lining.

GEORGE L. VAN DINTER. CONRAD FERRETTIE. 

